Thursday, April 28, 2011

LISTEN: Chucha Santamaria Y Usted - "Fiebre Tropical"

There's something indirectly hypnotic about singer Sofia Córdova's cadence throughout "Fiebre Tropical" (ex. at 0:45, 1:16); her voice consumes your attention, almost as if it was the onset of a fever. Although it begins and ends with a celestial ambiance, the core of the song is filled with an ominous sound that balances light and dark -- light enough to dance to and dark enough to possess a bit of a mystique. The song is said to be about the discovery of Puerto Rico in the 15th century, but, even if you don't speak Spanish, it's clear that there's a certain amount of soul-baring going on here.

Oakland, CA-based Chucha Santamaria Y Usted is a duo consisting of Sofía Córdova and Matthew Kirkland, originally from Puerto Rico and New York, respectively. Kirkland says, "Our basic musical process pretty much conforms to the platonic ideal of the synth duo – Sofía is responsible for concept/lyrics/melodies, while I create backing tracks to her specifications... though the separation between our two roles is definitely permeable - I edit lyrics, she rearranges songs, and so on."

The duo is about to release their debut album, which deals with a variety of themes including Caribbean histories like the discovery of Puerto Rico and leaving your home to make a new life, in a new country. For Córdova, the album holds a lot of personal significance. Even so, she says, "Making this album came out of a personal question, for sure, but if you strip all that away it should remain a solid dance album – following in the traditions that implies; this isn’t ironic pastiche, it’s the real thing."

"Fiebre Tropical" is from Chucha Santamaria Y Usted's self-titled debut album. It's out June 28th through Austin-based label Young Cubs. It will be available digitally, on limited clear vinyl, and on limited CD. Cover art is above, tracklist is below.